🌱 Sandy Springs Drainage Project + Youth Town Hall On Gun Violence

Good morning, everybody! It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Sandy Springs Daily — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and chilly. High: 49 Low: 28.

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Here are the top three stories today in Sandy Springs:

1. The Sandy Springs City Council has approved the 3265 Spalding Drive Drainage Maintenance and Improvement Project. The $234,366 contract with Metals & Materials Engineers will correct deficiencies in the city's infrastructure and help to bring the drainage system in the area to city standards. Specific improvements include a new precast concrete headwall, new single wing catch basin, and the removal of a 48-inch brick manhole which will be replaced with a concrete manhole. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
2. South Fulton held a youth town hall yesterday to discuss gun violence. The nearby city partnered with rapper Young Dro to hold the town hall at the Southwest Arts Center in response to recent shootings involving teens in the Atlanta metro. South Fulton Mayor Khalid said, "Many have criticized hip-hop for encouraging gun violence, so when Dro came to me and said 'we gotta talk about what we’re feeding these kids, mentally, through our music...' it was the perfect topic at the perfect time." (WSB-TV)
3. In nearby Fulton, Mayor Emily Quinn wants the community to get active for a chance to win a $100,000 grant. Mayor Quinn has launched a community fitness challenge for the community to take part in a 10-minute workout five days a week and hopefully win Blue Cross Blue Shield's "Healthy Town Healthy" grant. If the City of Fulton wins the grant, Mayor Quinn hopes to use it to pay for the splash pad repair at PlayGarden Park and to create new projects that improve the quality of life of the city's residents. (WTVA)

Today in and around Sandy Springs:

• Big ATL Comedy Show At Monticello ATL, Marietta (5:00 PM)
• Completeness At Stage Door Theatre, Dunwoody (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Sandy Springs area at the link! (Sandy Springs Patch)
• Are you looking to fill your social calendar this week? Check out the list of events happening in and around the nearby Atlanta area this weekend at the link! ( The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
• ATTENTION: Lane closures will be in effect, weather permitting, in Sandy Springs now through Saturday. Check out the link to see which specific areas could be affected. (Sandy Springs, Georgia: City News via Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.